KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Kalamazoo Growlers (35-36, 14-21) allowed a late-inning home run, falling 4-3 to the Royal Oak Leprechauns (43-28, 24-11) Friday night.

Oliver Service hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning, giving the Leprechauns a 1-0 lead, but the Growlers tied things with a fourth-inning single.

Kalamazoo took the lead in the sixth inning on an RBI groundout, before Jeremiah Holder’s day ended after the sixth.

Holder finished his 2026 season with a stellar start, throwing six innings while allowing just one run. The second-year Growler improved his ERA, walks, strikeouts and record from a season ago.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Sam Beemer got two quick outs before a hit by pitch and walk placed two runners aboard. Mason Barth scooped a breaking ball over the left field fence to give the Leprechauns a 4-2 lead.

After scoring a run in the top of the eighth inning, Kalamazoo had runners on the corner with one out, but an inning-ending double play stifled hopes of a tie game.

The Growlers left runners on second and third base in the ninth inning to fall 4-3.

The win clinched the playoffs for the Leprechauns, their first time reaching the postseason in franchise history.

Kalamazoo will play their season finale on Saturday night with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. EDT.